We prepare a
monthly review of gun incidents, focussing on those that raise key issues
about the nature of gun crime and the adequacy of gun legislation. Items
that have been amended or added to the list since the
Review was written are marked (*).

ENGLAND

Nottingham Post,
28 February 2011

A robber
pointed a revolver at the chest of a shop worker at a newsagents in
West Bridgford, Nottingham. The man demanded money and made off with
£300.

Fulham
& Hammersmith Chronicle,
28 February 2011 *

A teenager
was injured by flying glass when a gunman shot out the window of a house
in West Kensington, west London. He was treated for minor injuries
at the scene. The weapon was a shotgun
(Fulham & Hammersmith Chronicle, 1 March 2011).

Enfield Independent,
28 February 2011

An imitation handgun was seized by police
when they raided two suspected cannabis factories in a road in Enfield,
north London. One man was arrested.

Croydon Guardian,
28 February 2011

Jacob
Bernard, Francis Banya, 19, Earljay Walters, Michael Lindo and an unnamed
17-year-old committed forty offences in an eight-week crime spree during
which they attacked pubs, restaurants and banks in south London in
November and December 2009 (see
2009 Incidents). They were
arrested after an armed robbery at a bank in Balham in which four
of the men brandished an imitation firearmwhich was pressed to the head of a female customer. The men pleaded
guilty to a number of robberies and possession of a firearm and Bernard
was sentenced to 14 years, Banya to 10 years, Walters to 12 years and
Lindo to 9 years imprisonment. The 17-year-old was given a youth
rehabilitation order for one robbery and possessing of an imitation
firearm.

BBC,
28 February 2011

A man
found in a street in Sunderland with gunshot wounds to one of his
legs is recovering in hospital. His injuries were not thought to be
life-threatening.

Observer,
27 February 2011 *

A Premier
League footballer is reported to have shot and wounded a student on work
experience at his club's training ground in Cobham, Surrey. The
player arrived holding the .22 air rifle,
complete with a muzzle and nightscope, and the weapon is alleged to have
gone off accidentally whilst he was "larking about". The incident is to
be investigated by the police (Guardian, 27 February 2011) but it
has been reported that no charges will be brought (Press Association,
10 March 2011).

Redditch Advertiser,
26 February 2011

Thieves
who broke into a community building in Redditch, Worcestershire,
used by groups including scouts stole five
.177 air rifles, an air pistol
and 30 arrows used for archery practice.

Manchester Evening News,
26 February 2011

Police
arrested four men after a series of raids aimed at organised crime in
Salford. A firearm was among the items uncovered.

Liverpool Echo,
26 February 2011

A man took
himself to hospital in Fazakerley, Liverpool, after being shot in
the stomach. Officers were waiting for him to recover after he underwent
emergency surgery.

Liverpool Echo,
26 February 2011

Graham
Kelly has admitted possessing a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver and
ammunition. He took the loaded gun into a hospital in Liverpool
after being taken there by ambulance crews who had found him drunk and
collapsed. He will be detained in hospital indefinitely after a court
heard he was suffering from psychotic symptoms at the time.

Leicester Mercury,
26 February 2011

In a
second such incident in Leicester in a week firearms officers were
called to an incident involving toy guns.
They raided a bus en route to Oadby and took four suspects off the bus.
The police later confirmed the weapons were cap guns and water pistols.

Kincardineshire Observer,
26 February 2011

A man who
went into a shop in Blakelaw, Tyneside, demanded cash and then
revealed what is believed to be a black handgun. He grabbed cash from the
till before leaving the store.

BBC,
26 February 2011

During a
raid on a nightclub in Dale End, Birmingham, by police and UK
Borders Agency staff drugs, a firearm and knives were found. The club is
to close for the weekend.

BBC,
26 February 2011

An elderly
couple were threatened with a gun and tied up by two burglars at their
home in South Hay, Hampshire. The men stole a number of items
including jewellery and bank cards.

BBC,
26 February 2011

A shot was
fired through the window of a pub in Tipton, West Midlands, as
police were inside following up an earlier incident in which a man was
injured. No-one was hurt by the gunshot.

Manchester Evening News,
25 February 2011

David
Callow and Stewart Bowden shot at the door of a pub in
Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, with a sawn-off shotgun and rounded up the
staff. One worker was forced to open a safe and the men escaped with the
contents. Callow and Bowden were jailed for nine and a half years and 12
years, respectively, for robbery and six and a half years and seven years,
respectively, for possession of a firearm, the sentences to run
concurrently.

Liverpool Echo,
25 February 2011 *

A man has
been gunned down and killed in a street in Aigburth, Liverpool. A
local resident said that it looked like a point blank execution. An e-fit
picture of the main suspect has been released (Liverpool Echo, 23
March 2011). Four people have been arrested in connection with the murder
(BBC, 31 March 2011).

Lincolnshire Echo,
25 February 2011

Gary Noble
from Glebe Park, Lincoln, threatened to shoot his ex-girlfriend
during "menacing" phone calls to police. He said he had a loaded shotgun
and would "put a bullet" in her. He was an
air rifle owner. He pleaded guilty to two charges of making
menacing phone calls and has been sentenced to a 12-month supervision
order with conditions not to contact his former partner or own air
weapons.

Lancashire Evening Post,
25 February 2011

An open
verdict has been recorded at the inquest into the death of a man who was
found shot dead in a field in Sollom, Lancashire, in October 2010
with his shotgun beside him. It
was reported that his personal life was in "turmoil" at the time of his
death. The deputy coroner said there was not enough evidence to record a
verdict of suicide.

East
London Advertiser,
25 February 2011

Volunteers
clearing a churchyard in Bromley-by-Bow, east London, uncovered a
revolver and two knives.

Daily
Echo,
25 February 2011

Two men
threatened staff at a shop in Ashley Heath, Dorset, with a handgun
and tied them up. They stole cash.

Bolton
News,
25 February 2011

Drugs and
a stun gun were seized during
police raids on houses across Bolton, Greater Manchester. A man
was arrested.

BBC,
25 February 2011

A taxi
driver was threatened with a pistol in Portland, Dorset. He was
tied up and locked in a garage whilst a robber stole money and his car.

BBC,
25 February 2011

A man is
being questioned on suspicion of having an
imitation firearm and a knife at a hospital in Gorleston,
Norfolk. He has been released on bail pending further inquiries (BBC,
28 February 2011).

Southwark News,
24 February 2011

A man has
been remanded in custody after being charged with carrying an imitation machine gun which he fired
at the back of a church in Borough, south London. He is alleged to
have caused distress to members of the congregation after walking into the
church whilst drunk.

The
Sentinel,
24 February 2011

Armed
police were called to an incident in Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent, in
which a man who had complained about the noise youths were making outside
his home was glassed with a bottle and threatened with an air pistol. The weapon was recovered
and a 16-year-old was arrested.

Northern Echo,
24 February 2011

Cash and
an air weapon were seized from a
property in Easington Lane, County Durham, during a series of
police raids as part of an ongoing campaign to target burglaries. One man
was arrested on suspicion of money laundering, handling stolen property
and being concerned in the supply of drugs.

Bath
Chronicle,
24 February 2011 *

A man
wielding a handgun held up a betting shop in Corsham, Wiltshire.
He ordered staff to empty the till. He left with another man who was seen
standing in the doorway. Two men have been arrested in connection with
this and a later robbery in Devizes. An imitation firearm was recovered (see
March 2011 Incidents).

Yorkshire Evening Post,
23 February 2011

An inquest
in Leeds heard that a distraught husband used a
shotgun to kill himself after a fight
with his wife in July 2010. After their marriage broke down, the couple
had begun divorce proceedings. The husband, reportedly 'fuelled by drink',
grabbed his gun as his wife feared for her own safety and his. He then
shot himself in the head after she fled the room and pleaded in vain for
him to put away the gun.

Yorkshire Evening Post,
23 February 2011

Gary
Buttle has been jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to his part in
an armed raid on a nightclub in Batley, West Yorkshire. He was one
of four men carrying Tasers and
machetes who went into the club and stole £20,000 takings in August 2009.
Two of the others were also jailed, Luke Humble, who also admitted being
involved, for seven years and David Bailey, who was found guilty, for 12
years. Three other men were also jailed for their part in the conspiracy.

This
is Local London,
23 February 2011

Teenagers
were trapped in a nightclub in Balham, south London, after police
began to investigate reports of shots being fired near the club. There
was panic as officers began to empty the premises and people were trampled
on. The police said evidence that a gun had been fired was found but
confirmed there were no reports of any gunshot injuries.

Evening Standard,
23 February 2011

Armed
robbers fired a shotgun at a woman
who had just collected her company's takings. The incident occurred in
Canning Town, east London. She ducked as the gun was fired but 20
pellets were embedded in the back of her head. Some were removed during
an operation but it may be too risky to remove others (Evening Standard,
25 February 2011).

BBC,
23 February 2011

Two people
in a car shot at five vehicles in Glossop, Derbyshire. They used
an air rifle to damage windows. A
man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Worcester News,
22 February 2011

A man has
died in Inkberrow, Worcestershire, after a firearms incident. A
man was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. The death is not
being treated as suspicious. An inquest will open shortly (Worcester
News, 23 February 2011). The man apparently died from shotgun wounds to the head (Birmingham
Post, 24 February 2011).

This
is Local London,
22 February 2011

Staff at a
building society office in Selsdon, south London, were threatened
by three men, one armed with a handgun. The gang made off with thousands
of pounds.

Shropshire Star,
22 February 2011

Mark Gill
has been jailed for a year after threatening to shoot party-goers at a
neighbour's house in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, with an air rifle. He had been bingeing on
alcohol before the incident in July 2010. He was convicted of possessing
a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

The
Press,
22 February 2011

A coach
driver has described how the window of his vehicle was "shot out" as he
travelled near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. He believed a gun or
object was fired at the coach. He speculated that it could have been
someone shooting pheasants in a nearby field.

Leicester Mercury,
22 February 2011

Firearms
officers responded after a group of youths was seen with what turned out
to be a plastic gun in Leicester.
Three of the group were questioned in connection with possession of an
imitation firearm but they were not likely to be charged.

Leicester Mercury,
22 February 2011

A man
threatened a teenage woman with a gun before subjecting her to a sexual
assault on a footpath in a park in Loughborough, Leicestershire.

Hartlepool Mail,
22 February 2011

An armed
police search was launched after a motorist reported seeing a man with a
handgun in Newton Bewley, County Durham. After a thorough search
no-one with a gun was found.

Braintree & Witham Times,
22 February 2011

Gunshots
were heard from a car near Coggeshall, Essex. A man was arrested
later on suspicion of discharging a firearm within fifty feet of a
highway. Three air rifles were
seized by officers.

BBC,
22 February 2011

Two men
have been arrested after claims a man was threatened with a firearm in
Workington, Cumbria. It is alleged one of the men was seen with an
object that was said to have resembled a small pistol. It was later
reported that a small gas-powered pistol
has been seized by police (News & Star, 22 February 2011). One has
been charged with two counts of possessing an imitation firearm with
intent to cause fear of violence and the other man faces one count of the
same charge (News & Star, 25 February 2011).

This
is Local London,
21 February 2011

A man has
been charged with possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life after
shots were fired outside a house in Waltham Abbey, Essex. No-one
was injured during the shooting.

Kent
Online,
21 February 2011

Collette
O'Flaherty, 21, armed herself with a loaded pistol after an ex-boyfriend
threatened her and her family. The gun was found by police at her
brother's flat in Chatham, Kent, in September 2010. She admitted
possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possessing
prohibited ammunition. She has been jailed indefinitely and will serve at
least three years.

Hereford Times,
21 February 2011

A man from
Bodenham Moor, Herefordshire, who has been charged with seven
counts of fraud and handling stolen goods is also charged with possession
of a shotgun without a licence.

BBC,
21 February 2011

A gang of
four, armed with a gun and baseball bats, smashed glass display cabinets
at a jewellers in Burnley, Lancashire, and stole various items.
The shop owner, who managed to lock himself in a back office, was
uninjured.

Sunday
Mercury,
20 February 2011

Seven
people were being quizzed by police after shots were fired on a street in
Kingstanding, Birmingham. No one is believed to have been hurt.

News &
Star,
19 February 2011

One of two
men who appeared in court in connection with a drugs seizure in
Carlisle has also been accused of possessing a high voltage stun gun without authority.

The
Argus,
19 February 2011

John
Cogger armed himself with an arsenal of weapons including three machine
guns, a rifle and a pistol when police surrounded his house in
Copthorne, West Sussex, in November 2010 (see
Incidents). All the firearms had
been deactivated. The police were
responding to a call from Cogger's wife saying he had been drinking and
had threatened to blow them up or to shoot both of them and their dog. He
was shot by a police marksman after he raised a Bren gun and aimed it
through the kitchen window. He pleaded guilty to two charges of
possessing a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of
violence. Sentencing was adjourned.

Whitby
Gazette,
18 February 2011

Youngsters
have been reported causing damage to allotments in Whitby, North
Yorkshire, with reports they have been firing
air rifle pellets.

This
is Sussex,
18 February 2011

A man was
shot in the face three times with a pellet gun
in an incident in Crowborough, East Sussex, in January 2011. A
young man pulled out the gun and shot the victim at point-blank range.
One of the steel pellets ripped through his cheek and into his mouth and
another lodged in his skin and doctors are afraid to cut it out.

This
is Local London,
18 February 2011

Police
have dismissed claims that gunshots were fired at a house in Buckhurst
Hill, Essex. It is thought that a resident made a genuine mistake in
reporting two shots being fired.

This
is Kent,
18 February 2011

A soldier,
Nicholas Fabian, from Vigo, Kent, has been convicted of trying to
murder his wife in March 2010 (see
Incidents) by booby trapping her
car using a stolen hand grenade. He had pleaded guilty to possession of
95 rounds of 5.56 mm rifle ammunition without a firearms certificate. He
has been given a life sentence and will serve a minimum of 16 years.

Manchester Evening News,
18 February 2011

Lesroy
Lewis admitted possessing a firearm and ammunition and Samuel Stephens was
found guilty of the same offences after police officers found a loaded
revolver when they were searching a car in Moss Side, Manchester,
in August 2010. Lewis was jailed for five years and Stephens for eight
years. It is not known why they had the weapon.

The
Guide (Prestwich &
Whitefield),
18 February 2011

A woman
had her purse stolen by two men in a street in Prestwich, Greater
Manchester. She felt an object pushed into her neck which she believed to
be a gun.

Evening Post (Bristol),
18 February 2011 *

Three men
have denied conspiracy to rob, they and another man who has admitted that
charge also deny having a firearm with intent and an alternative charge of
possessing a prohibited firearm. A fifth man, Ashley Pritchard, has
admitted conspiracy to rob and having a firearm with intent. The men are
alleged to have burst into a property in Weston-super-Mare,
Somerset, in March 2010 and one of them was brandishing a semi-automatic
pistol. They were apparently looking for cannabis but stole various items
and threatened to kneecap one of those at the house. See also
March 2011 Incidents.

Birmingham Mail,
18 February 2011

Five shots
were fired at a woman driver in Lea Hall, Birmingham. The shots
smashed windows on her car and punctured the tyres. The gunfire happened
only hours after a shooting in nearby Kitts Green (see below)

BBC,
18 February 2011

A vehicle
was shot at in a mobile home park in Beck Row, Suffolk. Five men
have been arrested, two on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, two on
suspicion of attempted murder and one over the possession of an offensive
weapon.

BBC,
18 February 2011

A
16-year-old has been charged with robbery, causing grievous bodily harm
and possession of an imitation firearm.
The charges follow an attack on a taxi driver in St Ann's,
Nottingham, in December 2010 which resulted in the victim being stabbed in
both legs.

BBC,
18 February 2011

Shots were
fired towards a house in Kitts Green, Birmingham. A man was
arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm and drugs offences.

BBC,
18 February 2011 *

A man
armed with a suspected firearm threatened a shopkeeper at a store in
Thurmaston, Leicestershire, and stole cash and cigarettes. The
following day a worker at a store in Birstall was also threatened
with what is believed to have been a gun but the suspect left empty
handed. The same man is believed to be responsible. A 16-year-old has
been charged with robbery and attempted robbery. He is also accused of
two counts of possessing a firearm (BBC, 3 March 2011).

BBC,
18 February 2011 *

Two men
burst into a jewellers in Peterborough and attempted a robbery but
ran off when challenged. A small handgun was found at the scene. A
passer-by gripped the arm of one of the robbers who was pointing the gun
at him before dropping the weapon and fleeing (Daily Mail, 22
February 2011). The weapon was a blank-firing
starter pistol (Evening Telegraph (Peterborough), 12
March 2011).

Uxbridge Gazette,
17 February 2011

A man has
attempted to rob a supermarket in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire. A
man has been charged with attempted robbery, possession with intent to
cause fear or violence with a firearm and possession of an offensive
weapon.

This
is Hull & East Riding,
17 February 2011

A burglar
who has been sent to a young offenders institution for 18 months after
pleading guilty was shot twice with an air
rifle by the householder in Bransholme, Hull. He had
claimed to have been shot at through a window. The householder was left
free of any charge as it was considered he acted in self-defence.

Telegraph,
17 February 2011

A man is
accused of driving alongside a car on the M1 in Buckinghamshire
before winding down his window and pointing a gun at the driver in an
incident in May 2010. He has denied two counts of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause
fear of violence against two fellow motorists.

The
Star,
17 February 2011

A man held
up a bookmakers in Kendray, South Yorkshire. The robber, who was
brandishing a gun, threatened staff and escaped with a substantial amount
of cash.

The
News,
17 February 2011 *

A loaded
double-barrelled shotgun was found
when police raided a cannabis factory in Hayling Island, Hampshire,
but two brothers who were arrested and were later released on police bail
set up another factory in Portsmouth. They have now pleaded guilty to two
charges of producing a class B drug. James Plunkett, who admitted
possessing a firearm without a certificate, was jailed for seven years.
The other men also received jail sentences (Hayling Islander, 15
March 2011).

Crosby
Herald,
17 February 2011

A gang of
three men are thought to be behind raids at a convenience store in
Litherland, Merseyside, and a chip shop in Bootle. The
robberies took place 30 minutes apart. At the store two men threatened
staff with a handgun and a pistol was aimed at a woman at the chip shop (Liverpool
Echo, 19 November 2011).

Times
Series,
16 February 2011

Two
14-year-old boys were arrested after a robbery outside a school in
Hendon, north west London. They were found with a gas powered airgun, lock-knife and
items alleged to have been stolen. They have been charged with four
counts of robbery, two counts of possession of sharply bladed articles and
one count of possession of an imitation firearm.

Northern Echo,
16 February 2011

Darren
Gowland armed himself with a starting pistol
and knuckle-dusters to scare off youths who have gathered outside his home
in Billingham, Teesside, in June 2010. He fired the gun into the
ground. The gun had been bought on the internet. He admitted possessing
an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and was given a
suspended six-month jail sentence and put on supervision for 18 months.

Maidenhead Advertiser,
16 February 2011

Four men
are on trial accused of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to commit GBH
with intent and conspiracy to gain possession of a firearm with intent to
endanger life. A 16-year-old is also on trial facing the latter two
charges. They are alleged to have opened fire with a gun on a family home
in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

Local
Guardian,
16 February 2011

Two
17-year-olds were injured in a shooting in South Norwood, south
London. They were both shot in a house. One of the victims was in a
serious but stable condition. The other teenager was treated for
relatively minor gunshot wounds to the leg. The weapon is reported to
have been a shotgun (Evening
Standard, 17 February 2011).

Liverpool Echo,
16 February 2011

Ryan
Porter, 18, kept a semi-automatic pistol in his shed in Huyton,
Merseyside, in November 2010. Police also found nine rounds of
ammunition. He was sent to a Young Offenders' Institute for five years
after pleading guilty to possessing the weapon and ammunition.

Keighley News,
16 February 2011

Armed
police searched a property in Haworth, West Yorkshire, in relation
to an incident in which a gun may have been present.

Hounslow Chronicle,
16 February 2011

Staff at a
restaurant in Feltham, west London, were threatened with a
handgun. A man demanded the takings and stole thousands of pounds before
making his getaway on a push bike.

Burton
Mail,
16 February 2011

A taxi
driver was challenged by a gun-wielding motorist who crashed into the side
of his cab in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. A man was arrested
on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence
and possession of an offensive weapon. An unloaded
air rifle and a craft knife were recovered by police.

BBC,
16 February 2011

A cashier
at a bookmakers in Headington, Oxford, was threatened by two men
armed with a gun and a knife. They escaped with a "small sum" of money.
Two men and a woman have been arrested and an
imitation firearm and a knife have been seized. The men have
been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to commit an
indictable offence and possession of a bladed article in a public place
and the woman has been charged with the latter offence (Oxford Mail,
18 February 2011).

BBC,
16 February 2011

Two men
are in hospital after being shot when they answered the door of their home
in Luton, Bedfordshire.

BBC,
16 February 2011

Two men
attempted to rob a shop in Hartlepool, Teesside, with a replica gun. They fled when staff
raised the alarm.

BBC,
16 February 2011

Eight
teenagers have been arrested in connection with an assault in Derby
in which another teenager was attacked and a stun gun was reportedly seen.

Wandsworth Guardian,
15 February 2011

Police
officers were called to an incident at a college in Wandsworth,
south London, involving reports of a shot or shots being fired at the
college.

Press
Association,
15 February 2011 *

James
Allen has admitted hoarding an arsenal of weapons at his scrapyard in
Clapham, south west London. He claimed he did not know the weapons
were illegal and he had them to protect his business. The weapons were
discovered in May 2010 and included a revolver, a stun gun and an air rifle which Allen was barred from
possessing. He admitted possessing a gun, ammunition and a stun gun and
two further charges of possessing a single shot revolver and ammunition
were ordered to remain on file. He has been jailed for two years (BBC,
14 March 2011).

Local
Guardian,
15 February 2011

Two men
were caught by police and a handgun thrown into the street by one of the
men in Thornton Heath, south London.

Huddersfield Daily Examiner,
15 February 2011

Drug
dealer Zahid Ali had "an arsenal of firearms" hidden under the floorboards
of a house in Huddersfield. The weapons and ammunition were
discovered by police in September 2010. They included three prohibited
handguns, one of which (a converted Baikal) had been used in a drive-by
shooting in Manchester in 2006, and a de-activated Uzi sub-machine
gun. He has pleaded guilty to a series of charges relating to the
possession of prohibited firearms and ammunition together with offence of
possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply. He has been jailed for 11
years.

Evening Post (Bristol),
15 February 2011

Kaya
Hartley brawled with a man in a street in Bristol before cycling
off and returning with a handgun which he fired at the other man. The
incident took place in May 2010 (see
Incidents). He has been convicted
of attempted murder and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger
life. He has been jailed indefinitely and must serve a minimum of 12 and
a half years (BBC, 25 February 2011).

Evening Chronicle,
15 February 2011

A man and
his two sons are on trial after they were allegedly involved in a dispute
and a shooting in Lemington, Newcastle, in May 2010. A pistol was
fired from the rear window of a car after an argument between members of
different families got out of control. No one was injured by the gunfire
but some people were knocked by a car speeding away. The trial continues.

BBC,
15 February 2011

A couple
and their two teenage daughters were threatened with a shotgun by three men who targeted the
family at their home in Alwoodley, Leeds. The men stole jewellery
and fled in a stolen car.

This
is Local London,
14 February 2011

An inquest
held into the death of a man who is thought to have shot himself with a
rifle in October 2010 (see
Incidents) in a lock-up garage in Wallington, south west
London, two miles away from his home in Carshalton, has concluded that he
killed himself. The circumstances surrounding his death remained a secret
after the coroner refused upon request to provide the facts of the case
put before the court.

This
is Hampshire,
14 February 2011

Three men
threatened a 15-year-old schoolgirl with a stun gun at her home in Totton,
Hampshire, as they searched the house after they burst in. A safe
containing cash and jewellery were taken.

The
Shuttle,
14 February 2011

Police
were called to a flat in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, after two
men claimed they had been threatened with a firearm. Seven people, four
men and three women, were arrested, three of them on suspicion of
possession of an imitation firearm. Four were also arrested on suspicion
of firearms offences and have been released without charge. Two men were
arrested on suspicion of affray. An airgun
was among items recovered.

Oxford
Mail,
14 February 2011

Two men,
one of whom was brandishing what looked like a gun demanded cash from the
cashier at a petrol station in Marston, Oxford. A member of staff
was forced to hand over money.

Nottingham Post,
14 February 2011

A man was
found dead at a house in Warsop Vale, Nottinghamshire. He had died
from a single gunshot wound, but police are not treating the death as
suspicious. A man who was arrested is understood no longer to be under
suspicion of murder.

Kent
Online,
14 February 2011

A security
guard brandished a shotgun at two
intruders at a recycling yard in Paddock Wood, Kent, in November
2010 and shot one of them in the foot. Brian Turley had previously
received a life sentence for murder and had been released on licence
nearly ten years ago. He bought the shotgun as a "scare tactic" and
claimed it went off accidentally. He admitted possessing a firearm when
prohibited and was jailed for three years.

The
Herald (Plymouth),
14 February 2011

Stewart
Lindsay, a former member of a Wild West re-enactment group fired a replica Colt 45 in his front garden in
Lipson, Devon, in March 2010. He was heard and seen by a neighbour
mumbling to himself with the gun in his hand. Police found other guns in
his house. He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation
firearm with intent to cause fear and was sentenced to eight months in
jail, suspended for two years, plus 12 months' supervision from the
Probation service. Lindsay was suffering from delusional beliefs and
psychotic episodes at the time of the incident.

Evening Standard,
14 February 2011 *

Peter
Shalson, a keen hunter, has admitted firing a shotgun to disable a burglar alarm
next to his home in St John's Wood, north west London. The
incident took place in January 2010 (see
Incidents). He admitted possessing
a firearm with intent to commit criminal damage. He has been sentenced to
100 hours for possessing a firearm and another 100 hours for causing
damage to doors, a lamp, windows and the burglar alarm (BBC, 28
March 2011).

BBC,
14 February 2011

Anthony
Contos from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, has pleaded guilty to four
charges of conspiracy to import two self-loading pistols and 19 rounds of
ammunition and a drugs charge. He will be sentenced after a psychiatric
assessment.

BBC,
14 February 2011

A man
armed with what is believed to be a gun escaped with cash after
threatening staff at a shop in Sunderland. Police said the firearm
may have been an imitation.

Croydon Advertiser,
13 February 2011

A gang
threatened to kill shop staff and shoved a gun into the manager's mouth
during a robbery in New Addington, south London in January 2011.
The men escaped with more than £17,000 in cash.

Huddersfield Daily Examiner,
12 February 2011

Two men
attempted to rob a shop in Fartown, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.
The brandished a gun and demanded cash from the till but fled empty handed
after the shopkeeper set off a panic alarm.

Bolton
News,
12 February 2011

Zaishan
Jahangir, 18, and Joel Samuels, 22, have pleaded guilty to robbery and
possession of an imitation firearm.
They were both sentenced to eight years for robbery and three years for
the firearm offence, to run concurrently. In August 2010 a gang who burst
into a house in Daubhill, Bolton, Greater Manchester, pointed a gun
at a girl's head and tried to steal jewellery and cash. Two weeks later a
gang threatened another family in Daubhill and threatened to kidnap a girl
when their demands for money were refused.

Tamworth Herald,
11 February 2011

A man
described as a country sports enthusiast illegally bought a rifle and
prohibited dum-dum bullets at a market in Leek, Staffordshire, in
January 2010. Darren Shiels was investigated by the RSPCA and the weapon
and ammunition, together with a stun gun,
were found in his garden shed in Tamworth. Shiels had never held a
firearms certificate but had been legally shooting rabbits, pigeons and
other vermin on a friend's land with an air rifle. He admitted illegally
possessing the ammunition, the rifle and the stun gun and was jailed for
two years.

Lincolnshire Echo,
11 February 2011

Armed
police were called after a girl was spotted with what looked like a
handgun outside a college in Lincoln. She was spoken to but no
further action was taken.

Birmingham Mail,
11 February 2011

A security
guard was shot with a stun gun
during an armed hold-up on a bank in Erdington, Birmingham. The
victim was hit in the arm, possibly to make him release the canister of
cash he was carrying. The gang made off in car with a "large amount of
cash".

BBC,
11 February 2011

Two rifles
and a shotgun were among items
stolen from a house in Clayton le Dale, Lancashire.

BBC,
11 February 2011

A man
confronted and detained a gunman who tried to rob his parents at their
newsagent's in West Derby, Liverpool. A man has been charged in
connection with the attempted robbery (BBC, 12 February 2011).

This
is Lancashire,
10 February 2011

A stun gun and heroin were seized
during a series of raids in the Heasandford area of Burnley,
Lancashire. A number of people were detained.

Press
Association,
10 February 2011

Two guns
disguised as pens were seized by police during raids at the homes of two
teenage gang members in Leytonstone and Walthamstow, north
east London. One of them was also held on drugs offences and for handling
stolen goods.

The
Press,
10 February 2011

A man seen
leaving his house in Haxby, York, with a shotgun was later found dead in his
car by his partner. He died from a gunshot wound to his head. An inquest
has been opened and adjourned. Suicide has been confirmed (The
Press, 17 September 2011).

Oxford
Mail,
10 February 2011

A man shot
himself because he could "no longer stand" his worsening health. He was
found beside a double-barrelled shotgun
in his garden in Didcot, Oxfordshire, in September 2010. The
coroner concluded he had taken his own life.

Nottingham Post,
10 February 2011

Two men
allegedly threatened staff at a newsagent in Wollaton, Nottingham,
with a handgun. They grabbed the till which was later found empty
nearby. A 17-year-old has been arrested.

Liverpool Echo,
10 February 2011

Essa
Mohammed was caught hiding a gun at a hostel in Aigburth,
Liverpool, following his release from prison where he had been serving a
sentence for violent disorder. The gun was discovered during a routine
search of his room in February 2010 along with 93 cartridges. He was
found guilty of possessing the firearm and three offences of possessing
ammunition and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Harrow
Observer,
10 February 2011

A
5-year-old boy playing with his brothers in Wembley, north west
London, has been shot in the back of the head with an air rifle. The incident has been
linked to two other shootings in the same road in which a man was shot in
the stomach and elbow and another man was hit in the back of his head
while washing his car. Three teenagers have been arrested for three
counts of actual bodily harm and possession of a firearm in a public
place.

Two shotguns and a vehicle were seized by
police during a raid on commercial premises in Waltham Abbey,
Essex. A man was arrested on suspicion of burglary, receiving stolen
goods, possessing a firearm without a certificate and theft. It is
believed the shotguns were stolen in Halstead towards the end of
2010.

Ely
Standard,
10 February 2011 *

Police
were called to a secondary school in Ely, Cambridgeshire, after
reports that a teenage boy had a gun. The weapon was an air rifle. The pupil was arrested and
was bailed later. He has admitted possessing an imitation firearm in a
public place (see
March 2011 Incidents).

Cambridge News,
10 February 2011

Daniel
Maples has admitted having a 9mm revolver and blank ammunition at his home
in Saffron Waldon, Essex. His mother found the gun in July 2010
and took it with the ammunition to the police. He was looking after a gun
for his drug dealer. He was jailed for 12 months.

BBC,
10 February 2011 *

Four men
have been convicted over the killing of a worker who was shot in the chest
and stomach at a shop in Salford in July 2009 (see
Incidents). Mohammed Hafiz and
Arfan Rafiq were convicted of murder, Ryan Manning of manslaughter and
Akmal Afzal of possession of a prohibited weapon. Simeon Henderson had
previously admitted murder. The victim was not the intended target and
was caught up in a feud involving drugs gangs from Bolton who had
called on a gang from Oldham to send out a warning to their
rivals. Two men who were arrested and bailed pending further inquiries
have since failed to answer bail and a third man who left the country at
the time of the killing was never arrested. All three are thought to have
headed for Pakistan. Hafiz, Rafiq and Henderson were all jailed for life,
Manning was given an indeterminate sentence with a minimum term of eight
years and Afzal was jailed for seven years (BBC, 11 February
2011). Henderson will serve a minimum of 15 years after his evidence
earned him a reduction in his sentence (Manchester Evening News, 11
February 2011). A man wanted in connection with the shooting has been
arrested as he stepped off a flight from Pakistan (Manchester Evening
News, 4 March 2011).

The
Argus,
10 February 2011

A
suspected armed robber has died in hospital after being shot by police in
Kemp Town, Brighton. The shooting took place after a pre-planned
police operation related to a number of armed robberies in the area. What
appears to have been a handgun was found at the scene. It is being
examined to find out whether it is real or imitation and whether it had
been fired (BBC, 11 February 2011). The man was wanted in
connected with two robberies in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, in
January 2011 (see
Incidents) and detected are looking
into whether he was linked to a series of Post Office robberies in
Brighton and Hove which occurred between September 2010 and
January 2011 (The Argus, 11 February 2011). It is reported that
the dead man had pulled a handgun from his trousers and fired before the
police returned fire (The Argus, 14 February 2011).

Yorkshire Post,
9 February 2011

Mark
Glasewell who attacked two elderly women in their homes in Leeds
has admitted aggravated burglary, assault, theft, robbery, attempted
robbery, false imprisonment and arson with intent to endanger life.
Shortly after the first attack he threatened a female member of staff with
a plastic handgun at a store in
Leeds. He used the same gun to threaten his second elderly victim.
Glasewell was given a life sentence with a minimum of six years in jail.

Nottinghamshire Post,
9 February 2011

A shotgun was found on wasteland in
St Ann's, Nottingham, after an anonymous phone call. It is not known
whether it is being linked to any of the three shooting incidents in the
Nottingham area in the last two months.

East
Lothian News,
9 February 2011

Staff at a
bookmaker's in Newark, Nottinghamshire, were threatened with what
was believed to be a handgun by a man who entered the branch. Cash was
stolen.

Bucks
Free Press,
9 February 2011

Three men
threatened a resident of a house in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire,
with what is believed to be a gun before they "realised they had gone to
the wrong address". The incident is being treated as an aggravated
burglary.

Birmingham Mail,
9 February 2011

Two cars
recently seized by police as part of a criminal investigation were stolen
from a storage yard in Stechford, West Midlands, by a gang who it
is claimed pointed a pistol to the head of a staff member at the yard.

Yorkshire Evening Post,
8 February 2011 *

A man
brandished a gun a staff in a shop in Scholes, Leeds, before making
off with cash from the till. A man has been charged with armed robbery,
possessing an imitation firearm,
vehicle theft and driving offences (Seacroft Today, 9 March 2011).

Local
Guardian,
8 February 2011

Five men
involved in a raid on a jewellers in Richmond, south west London,
in February 2010 have been jailed for a total of 41 years. One of the men
was armed with a handgun. Lee Byer and four others had pleaded guilty.

This
is Hull & East Riding,
7 February 2011

A man
described as a weapons fanatic kept an "armed robber's toolkit" of guns,
knives and nearly 100 bullets hidden in his bedroom in Hull.
Police found a collection, which included a
sawn-off shotgun and 9mm bullets including expanding
ammunition, at the home of Raymond Catley. Catley, who claimed the
collection was due to his interest in armoury, has been jailed for two
years. The judge said that his desire to possess the weapons was "so
powerful as to override the risk of going to prison for their possession".

Telegraph & Argus,
7 February 2011

Shots were
fired through the downstairs window of a house in Clayton,
Bradford.

Telegraph & Argus,
7 February 2011

Two men
fired shots and threatened staff with a
shotgun during a raid on a supermarket in Bradford.

The
Shuttle,
7 February 2011

An
11-year-old girl was shot in the face with a
BB gun in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. She was
approached by a teenage boy she did not know who shot her from a distance
of two inches.

Oxford
Mail,
7 February 2011

Alan
Jenson admitted possessing an unloaded air
weapon in a public place in Didcot, Oxfordshire, in June
2010. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and told to pay
costs.

Liverpool Echo,
7 February 2011

Two men
who were part of an eight-strong gang who broke into a house in Everton,
Liverpool, in June 2010 have been jailed. Dominic Daniels, 21, received a
10-year and four month sentence and Callum Hannon, 19, a seven-and-a-half
year sentence after admitting robbery and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to
commit an offence. A man in the house had a gun pointed at him and was
beaten and two women were punched.

Harrow
Times,
7 February 2011

Two men
broke into a house in Pinner, north west London, and one of them
pulled out a revolver-type gun and pointed it at a man in the house.
They tied him and a woman up and took sets of keys for a car which they
drove away. They also stole other items.

Evening Gazette,
7 February 2011

In October
2010 Christopher Donnelly, 19, from Grangetown, Teesside, grabbed
his former partner and when she escaped he pursued her holding a small imitation gun. He admitted possession
of an imitation firearm. He also admitted handling stolen goods. He was
jailed for 20 months, primarily for trying to frighten his ex-partner.

This
is Local London,
5 February 2011

A
17-year-old has appeared in court charged with carrying an
imitation firearm on a train at Clapham Junction, south
London. He was seen to discard a black item on to a seat of the train
after he and a friend were found travelling in a carriage of a train
without a valid ticket.

Liverpool Echo,
5 February 2011

Five
members of a burglary gang from Merseyside have been jailed after
they pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit burglary and aggravated
burglary. They smashed their way into houses and terrified their victims
with knives, swords, sledgehammers, machetes, chisels and a shotgun.
Craig Murphy, 19, Gary Moffatt, 22, Jason Nee, 21, Anthony Akins, 19, and
Jamie Williams, 18 are starting a combined 40 years in prison. In one
break-in in St Helens a shotgun
was fired. The Attorney General is expected to decide whether he
considers the sentences, which were between seven and ten years, to be
unduly lenient (St Helens Star, 17 February 2011).

Halifax Courier,
5 February 2011

A man
holding what staff described as a gun entered a store in Glossop,
Derbyshire, and stole jewellery. A man was later arrested on suspicion of
the robbery. Detectives are investigating whether the incident is linked
to a robbery in nearby Hayfield (see below). He has been charged
with robbery, attempted robbery and firearms offences (BBC, 7
February 2011).

Express & Star,
5 February 2011

Two gunmen
became trapped as they tried to flee from a raid on a jeweller's in
Smethwick, West Midlands, in November 2010 (see
Incidents). Sandeep Singh, who was
armed with a pistol, and Sandeep Kumar were rescued by fire crews. Singh
was also involved in a similar attack on a jeweller's in Palfrey in
October 2010 (see
Incidents). Both men pleaded
guilty to attempted robbery and possessing a firearm, and Singh also
admitted the Palfrey robbery and possessing an imitation firearm. They will be
sentenced later.

Evening News (Norwich),
5 February 2011

When rival
gangs clashed at a house in Norwich in June 2010 one man was
stabbed to death and another was shot in the head. Six people have now
been given prison sentences for conspiracy to rob in two cases and
assisting an offender to commit an indictable offence in four cases but
nobody has been charged with murder or manslaughter or with a firearms
offence.

BBC,
5 February 2011

A
15-year-old was left with facial injuries after being shot with an airgun
in Gateshead, Tyneside. Two young men have been arrested. The
weapon has since been described as a BB gun
and the victim has said that a man demanded money from him (Evening
Courier, 8 February 2011). There were other reports from Gateshead.
A taxi driver reported damage to his vehicle by an airgun pellet and a report was
received from a bus driver that pellets had been fired (Northern Echo,
5 February 2011).

St
Helens Star,
4 February 2011

A man
armed with what is suspected to be a handgun threatened a member of staff
at a newsagent's in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside. He demanded
cash but escaped empty handed. The attempted robbery took place last
month.

Liverpool Echo,
4 February 2011

Robert
Moore had a .38 revolver by his bed when police went to a house in
Bootle, Merseyside, in June 2010. The weapon had been adapted to fire
live ammunition and two bullets were found in the barrel. He admitted the
firearm was his and claimed he wanted people to know he had it for his own
security. He was jailed for a total of seven years and for a separate
attack at a pub in Childwall. He pleaded guilty to wounding, affray and
possession of an offensive weapon and ammunition.

Lancashire Telegraph,
4 February 2011

A gang of
three held up a teenager in Burnley, Lancashire, and demanded his
mobile phone. When the victim denied he had a phone one of the men
produced what was said to be a handgun. A mobile phone was handed to the
gang. Police believe the weapon is most likely to be an imitation firearm.

Haringey Independent,
4 February 2011

Two men
have been charged with threatening bystanders at gunpoint or with a
machete to get their bank details in north and east London. They were
each charged with five counts of robbery, with possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause
fear of violence and conspiracy to commit robbery. The offences took
place at locations across Haringey, Hackney and Islington.

Express & Star,
4 February 2011

Daniel
Sedgwick, 19, pointed a loaded handgun at an assistant manager at a
bookmakers in Wolverhampton and shouted threats at him whilst
demanding money. The raid happened in August 2010. He has been found
guilty of armed robbery. Accomplice Cameron Wilkinson, 18, who acted as
lookout and getaway car driver Ryan Graham, 19, were also convicted of
robbery and firearms charges.

BBC,
4 February 2011

Thirty
people have been jailed for 33 armed robberies in shops in southern
England, Greater London, the West Country, East
Anglia and one in Belgium. Jewels were taken from the shops and the
gang also stole motorcycles from dealerships, tying up staff while they
loaded bikes into stolen vans. The weapons they used included
sledgehammers, a gun and knives. A full list of those convicted is given
in the article.

BBC,
4 February 2011

A man
threatened staff at a pharmacy in Hayfield, Derbyshire, with a
"long-barrelled handgun" and stole cash and prescription drugs. The crime
could be linked to two others in the Manchester area. A man has been
charged with this robbery and other charges relating to a robbery in
Glossop (see above).

Wilts
and Gloucestershire Standard,
3 February 2011

In July
2010 a pensioner called the police to report his own imminent death,
telling them there was a fatality in his back garden in
Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, and he had been shot. His body
was found with 'catastrophic' head injuries and a shotgun in his lap. He was said to
have lost his purpose in life and the will to live after his wife died.
The coroner concluded he had intended to take his own life and recorded a
verdict of suicide.

London
Daily News,
3 February 2011

A man
entered a bookmaker's in Plaistow, east London, and demanded cash
before threatening staff with a small handgun. The staff managed to flee
to a secure room and the man left empty-handed.

Local
Guardian,
3 February 2011

A
13-year-old boy was arrested at a school for carrying a revolver and
bullets. His lawyer argued that firearms charges should never have been
brought as the gun was more than 100 years old. The boy has admitted
possessing the loaded revolver at his school in Merton, south
London, in January 2011 and pleaded guilty to one count of being a person
under 14 in possession of a firearm and two counts of possessing
ammunition. He has been handed a 10-month community sentence. An older
pupil who is alleged to have given the boy the gun and told him to look
after it will appear in court next month (Local Guardian, 24
February 2011).

The
Herald (Plymouth),
3 February 2011 *

A
pensioner has denied shooting a teenager in the neck after being pestered
by a gang in St Austell, Cornwall, in February 2010. He denies one
count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and denies one
count of unlawful wounding. He has accepted that the pellet was from his
air rifle but he says the gun went
off accidentally. Alfred Tipson was cleared of the wounding charges but
admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear (BBC, 4
February 2011). He was sentenced to eight months jail suspended for two
years and banned from keeping firearms for two years (BBC, 3 March
2011).

Daily
Mirror,
3 February 2011

Phiwi Dolo
borrowed a toy gun at a fancy dress
party and waved it around as he tried to hail a taxi in October 2010. He
was seen by police officers. He was originally charged with possession of
an imitation firearm but pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. He was
fined £200 with a one-year conditional discharge. The incident took place
in Newquay, Cornwall, in October 2010 (The Packet, 3
February 2011).

BBC,
3 February 2011

Four
people were arrested on suspicion of firearms, robbery and drugs offences
after a raid on a house in Felixstowe, Suffolk. A firearm was
found.

BBC,
3 February 2011

Occupants
of a house in Deeping St James, Lincolnshire, were threatened with
a handgun. The suspected gunman is believed to have left the scene in a
vehicle.

Wirral
Globe,
2 February 2011

A man
carrying a firearm escaped with cash and foreign currency from a travel
agents in Wallasey, The Wirral.

This
is Kent,
2 February 2011

An air rifle was confiscated from a house
in Sittingbourne, Kent, where a man jumped from a chimney after an
hour-long stand-off with police. He was wanted by police after allegedly
breaching bail conditions for an offence of domestic assault.

Reading Post,
2 February 2011 *

Konrad
Bicknall has been convicted of robbing a service station in Shinfield,
Berkshire, in August 2010 (see
Incidents). He had denied robbery
and possessing an imitation firearm
with intent to cause fear of violence but was convicted on both counts.
Another man, Anthony Walker, had previously admitted the raid. Bicknall
has been jailed for seven years (Reading Post, 17 March 2011).

Press
Association,
2 February 2011

Six men,
including a 16-year-old, have been found guilty of the murder of a man who
was shot with a pump action shotgun
in Gipsy Hill, south London, in March 2010 (see
Incidents). Marcel Mason, Trevelle
Williams, David Lock, Robert Saint, David Smith and Lavarne Forde-Morgan
face life sentences. All except Lock were found guilty of having a
firearm with intent to endanger life. Williams and Forde-Morgan were also
convicted of a second firearms offence. Mason will spend at least 25 and
a half years in jail, Williams 24 years, Lock 21 years, Forde-Morgan 18
years, Saint 23 years and Smith 24 years. It is not know who was carrying
the gun and pulled the trigger. The men were said to be "intoxicated by
guns and high on adrenaline" and had already fired shots at a rival gang.
The victim had attempted to smooth over bad feelings between a friend and
Mason before he was shot (Croydon Advertiser, 3 February 2011).

East
Anglian Daily Times,
2 February 2011

A man
walking in a street in Colchester, Essex, was approached by two men
believed to have been carrying a knife and an object which looked like a
gun. A mobile phone and a small quantity of cash were taken.

BBC,
2 February 2011

One man is
on trial accused of conspiracy to murder a man who was shot dead by Raoul
Moat in Gateshead, Tyneside, in July 2010 (see
Incidents). He denies the charge,
and he and another man both deny charges of conspiracy to murder, the
attempted murder of a policeman who was shot and blinded by Moat,
possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and robbing a shop.

Worcester News,
1 February 2011

Two men
and a woman have been charged with committing two armed robberies in
Worcester. The woman has been charged with possessing an imitation firearm which is alleged to
have been used in the second robbery on a shop.

Manchester Evening News,
1 February 2011

Daniel
O'Brien kept a sawn-off shotgun
and a cache of drugs in his child's bedroom in Gorton, Manchester,
at the home of his girlfriend. He admitted possessing drugs with intent
to supply and possessing firearm and has been jailed for seven-and-a-half
years. He had coaxed Leia Hylton to let him store cannabis but she was
unaware of the other drugs and the gun. She admitted possessing drugs.

Evening Gazette,
1 February 2011

Christopher Pease from Thorntree, Middlesbrough, bought a shotgun and then threatened to kill
his ex-girlfriend. A friend of his took the gun off him to stop him from
doing "anything stupid". Pease pleaded guilty to having a firearm with
intent to cause fear, making threats to kill and possessing a shotgun
without a certificate. He was jailed for three years. His friend Matthew
Robinson, 21, who hid the gun at his home pleaded guilty to possessing a
shotgun without a certificate and was given a 12-month community order
with a supervision requirement.

Evening Chronicle,
1 February 2011

Lee
McCartney, 20, was caught carrying an imitation gun in public. He had
picked up an air pistol to scare
off a group who turned up at his girlfriend's home in Chopwell,
Tyneside, after she had been exchanging insults with another woman on
Facebook. His offence was in breach of a suspended sentence imposed last
year and he has been jailed for 14 weeks.

Daily
Echo,
1 February 2011

A teenager
was arrested and a gun seized after a gang smashed their way into a house
in Weymouth, Dorset. The men were armed with a handgun and
baseball bats and fled with jewellery and hundreds of pounds.

BBC,
1 February 2011

A series
of robberies were carried out by a gang of six teenagers in Stevenage,
Hertfordshire. One of the offenders was carrying a stun gun which was used on each of
the victims, who suffered neck and face injuries. Three teenagers have
been arrested.

SCOTLAND

stv,
26 February 2011 *

A man who
was shot with what is thought to have been a
BB gun at a taxi rank in Glasgow is likely to lose his
eye according to police. Both the victim and suspected attacker had been
drinking in a pub during the evening. A man has been arrested over the
attack (Scotsman, 9 March 2011).

Lennox
Herald,
25 February 2011

Three deactivated firearms including a
machine gun and an AK47 were taken from a paintball centre in
Alexandria, Dunbartonshire. A quantity of paintballing equipment was
also taken. The machine gun was later recovered.

Daily
Mail,
23 February 2011

A number
of school pupils were injured when someone took potshots at them with an
air weapon during their lunch break
in Auchinleck, Ayrshire. The victims went to hospital for medical
attention and one of them was detained for further treatment. Five girls
and six boys were struck by pellets, mainly on their legs and torsos. At
least one property nearby had its windows shattered. An 18-year-old and a
15-year-old boy have been charged with assault (BBC, 24 February
2011). A third teenager is due in court in connection with the attack (stv,
25 February 2011).

stv,
20 February 2011

Staff at a
bookmakers in Glasgow were threatened by a man brandishing what
appeared to be a firearm. He demanded cash and made off with a
three-figure sum of money.

Scotsman,
11 February 2011

Two metal
cabinets containing a number of guns were taken during a break-in at a
house on the outskirts of Newburgh, Fife. Police would not say
exactly how many guns, or what type, were taken. The empty cabinets were
later found dumped (The Courier, 16 February 2011).

Largs
& Millport Weekly News,
11 February 2011

A man was
arrested for a Breach of the Peace involving a firearm after an incident
on Isle of Cumbrae.

Kilmarnock Standard,
4 February 2011

A
13-year-old boy who took a BB gun
to his school in Stewarton, Ayrshire, has been suspended from
school and reported to the children's panel. The head of Strathclyde
Police Firearms Unit said 'Many air weapons and BB guns are extremely
realistic, therefore it's vital that people understand the very real
danger they are putting themselves in by recklessly handling these types
of weapons'.

West
Lothian Courier,
3 February 2011

Paul
McManus and Andrew Caldwell had taken drink and drugs when they attempted
to rob a service station in Livingston, West Lothian, in October
2010. Caldwell was armed with an airgun
but was recognised by one of the staff. The two men pled guilty to the
attempted robbery. McManus was jailed for 10 months and Caldwell for a
year.

stv,
2 February 2011

Police
arrested four men in an operation in the south side of Glasgow
after they were alerted that four men who had a handgun were travelling in
a car. No firearm was recovered.

Scotsman,
2 February 2011

A report
on the main library in Elgin, Moray, describes how an elderly
pensioner was struck on the head with a pellet fired from a BB gun which was discharged in the
building. Two youths have been charged (BBC, 21 February 2011).

Paisley Daily Express,
2 February 2011

Drugs and
a gun were found during raids by police at a farmhouse in the Foxbar
area of Paisley. Three men have been arrested.

Evening News,
1 February 2011

David
Arnott, 19, pointed an imitation gun
at a taxi driver to avoid paying a £9 fare. The incident happened in the
Craigour area of Edinburgh in May 2010. He admitted intending not
to pay the fare and to pointing an imitation firearm at the driver. He
has been ordered to carry out 300 hours of community service and to pay
his victim £1000 in compensation (stv, 25 February 2011).

WALES

South
Wales Echo,
19 February 2011

A BB gun was among items found during a
raid on a property in Maerdy, Glamorgan, in which £1,000 of
cannabis was recovered. A man has been arrested.

South
Wales Argus,
18 February 2011

Lee Williams
from Ebbw Vale, Gwent, has pleaded guilty to possession of a
prohibited firearm, possession of ammunition without a firearms certificate,
possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of expanding ammunition.
Police found a signal flare gun pen and a separate metal tube capable of
firing .22 ammunition when they searched his house in April 2011. He also
has a canister of CS gas. He claimed he found the weapons and ammunition
while out walking his dog. He has been jailed for five years.

Cambrian News,
17 February 2011

A man was
arrested in Pwllheli, Gwynedd, after armed police were alerted when a
man carrying an airgun was spotted.

INCIDENTS INVOLVING ANIMALS

Cambridge News,
24 February 2011

A cat has
been shot dead with an airgun in
March, Cambridgeshire. She had two pellets in her body, one in the
abdomen and another in her back leg. She was not strong enough to survive
the injuries and died at the vet's surgery.

Kent
Online,
23 February 2011

A cat has
been hit by an airgun pellet in an
attack in Gillingham, Kent. He suffered damage to his spleen
bowel, pancreas and kidney and is in a serious condition.

BBC,
22 February 2011 *

Eight
swans have been shot dead. Three were found in a field in Wedmore,
Somerset, and the others nearby. One surviving bird was recovered and is
being treated. X-rays showed that they had all been shot in the head with
airgun pellets. A reward of
£10,000 has been offered to find the person responsible. Five more dead
swans have been found in the area though the cause of death was not
reported (Burnham-On-Sea.com, 28 February 2011). Three men have
been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage (BBC, 8 March 2011).

BBC,
18 February 2011

A female
swan has been put down after it was found to have been shot at least three
times. The bird from a countryside centre in Benton, Tyneside, was
discovered by the RSPCA. She had been shot at least three times by
separate air weapons.

Lichfield Mercury,
17 February 2011

A cat has
had to have his tail amputated after suffering serious shotgun wounds in Lichfield,
Staffordshire. He was found hiding in a haystack covered in blood.

BBC,
10 February 2011

A swan is
recovering after being shot in the head with an air rifle. It was found in
Littlehampton, West Sussex. The pellets have been removed.

BBC,
10 February 2011

A cat had
to have its eye removed after being shot in the head four times. The
incident occurred in Newton, Hampshire, in January 2011. Airgun pellets were found embedded in
his head.

This
is Local London,
6 February 2011

A
campaigner has spoken out about airgun
owners who use wild animals for target practice. Squirrels, foxes and
swans have been shot in a series of incidents in the area around
Leatherhead, Surrey. In a recent incident an injured squirrel was found
in a street in Dorking with an air rifle pellet lodged in its back
and had to be put down.

stv,
3 February 2011

Two
drunken youths armed with an air rifle
stole a pet rabbit from a children's nursery in Peebles in October
2010. Craig Robertson, 20, had bought a £150 air rifle the day before
with a view to making money shooting rabbits. He and Stephen McLeod, 19,
believed they did not harm the animal which they said was released into
the wild but the sheriff has cast doubt on their story and implied that
the pet, which has not been found, could have been used for target
practice. They both pled guilty to stealing the rabbit. Sentencing was
deferred.